THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603140003
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Your editorial page asks Congress to return to the Kassebaum-Kennedy bill on health care, since it is less sweeping and, therefore, we are to assume, more acceptable to the nation than the Clinton proposals that were so soundly beaten back some months ago.
This seems to be another case of asking that lip service be given to an issue rather than asking that real reform take place or that we just leave it alone. Guaranteed access to health-care policies when I'm laid off is wonderful, but what makes you think anyone laid off can afford $500, $700 or $1,000 a month for family coverage?
Even if we leave aside waste and fraud in the ``medical community,'' there is no such thing as ``affordable health care.'' As an employer of many years who paid his employees' health-care premiums, I must stress that that cost block was the second highest in the business, as it is now for small businesses that still try to retain their staff by covering the cost of this benefit. After the payroll cost, rent, phone, motor fuel, autos, etc., were nothing compared to the health cost.
``Portability,'' ``extension,'' ``renewal rights'' or any other ``rights'' afforded us under any bill will do nothing to bring about affordable health care. Whatever is done will be recognized by the voters as another of government's baldfaced lies to try to gain public-relations coups. We aren't as gullible as we once were; and as the past congressional election shows, we can read and understand what we read.
W. ROCKWELL LAMBERT JR.
Norfolk, March 8, 1996 by CNB